Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

196. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the first- and full-year cost of extending child benefit to families in the international protection process. [31181/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. Currently, the payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 19th birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability. It is paid at €140 per month, with twins being paid at €210 per child and triplets being paid at €280 per child.

Child Benefit is currently in payment in respect of approximately 1.3 million children with an estimated expenditure of €2.2 billion for 2025.

To receive Child Benefit in Ireland, parents must be habitually resident in the State. Applicants for International Protection do not satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition and are therefore not eligible for Child Benefit.

Applicants for International Protection, who are awaiting a decision on their application, are offered accommodation by the International Protection Accommodation Services of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. Those who accept such accommodation are provided with material reception conditions, including food and health services together with other facilities and services designed to ensure their needs are met while seeking the protection of the State.

My Department therefore has no access to data on people seeking International Protection.

My Department does, however, administer the Daily Expenses Allowance which is paid to international protection applicants who reside in accommodation provided by the International Protection Accommodation Services, in order to meet incidental, personal expenses. The current weekly rates of payment are €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child. As of May of this year, there were 6,832 children residing in IPAS-provided accommodation in respect of whom daily expenses allowance is being paid.

It is not possible to accurately estimate the cost of extending Child Benefit in respect of any children not already covered by the scheme, however assuming that each child recipient of the Daily Expenses Allowance was a single birth, and noting that this payment does not cover those who are 18 years of age, the cost to extend Child Benefit to this cohort would be in the region of €11.5 million per annum.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.